Frank hicks



(No Model.)

I'. HICKS.

INDIGATOR FOR STREET CARS.

Patented Apr. 10', 1888.

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UNITE STATES PATENT trice@ FRANK HICKS, OF BUFFALO, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EDVARD DWYER, OF SAME PLACE.

INDICATOR FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 380,799l dated April l0, 1888.

` Application filed October 252, 1887. Serial No. 253,062. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK HICKS, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Indicators for StreetGars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of devices which are employed in street-cars for indicating to the passengers the names of the cross-streets on the line of the road, and which consist of a' band or apron bearing the names of the different streets and arranged in a suitable casing, through which the names aresuccessively exposed as the crossstreets are passed.

The invention has the object to providean indicating device of this character which shall be simple in construction, and which can be produced at small cost.

The invention consists ofthe improvements which will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a streetcar provided with my improved indicator. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation of the car on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section thereof.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

' A A represent the side walls of the car, A the end walls, and A2 the 'roof thereof.

B B represent the bands or aprons, upon which are arranged the names of the various cross-streets on the route. These bands or aprons pass through longitudinal guides or casings C C', arranged within the car on opposite sides thereof, preferably above the Windows. Y d are the openings formed in the guides C C', and through which the naines of the streets are successively eXp osed. These openin gs are preferably closed by a pane of glass, and are arranged at the center of the car, so as to be visible from all parts thereof.

lThe guides G C extendthrough both end walls, A', of the car and enter cylindrical casings E E, arranged at opposite ends of the car outside of the car-body. Y

ff representvertical shafts located at opposite ends of the car, and which are supported in suitable bearings formed in brackets F F, secured to the under side of the canopies or projecting portions c of the roof A2. The shafts ff pass centrally through the cylindrical casings E E', and are each provided with a transverse pin, f2, whereby said casings are supported upon the shafts. The guides C lCwhich are secured to opposite sides of the casings, also assist in supporting the latter. 1

The bands or aprons B B are attached with their ends to the vertical shafts ff', the ends of the band on one side of the car being secured to the upper portion of the shafts, while the ends of the band on the opposite side of the car are attached to the lower portion of said shafts, as shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the bands are securedto the shafts in such manner that they will be wound upon the shafts in opposite directions and caused to move through the guides C C in the saine direction.

g represents horizontal plates or disks secured to the vertical shaftsff within the cylindrical casings E E', and arranged between the coils h of the bands B B', surrounding said shafts. The plates g prevent the coils from coming in contact with each other and interfering with the free operation of the device. The easings E F/ inclose the coils 7L and shafts ff', and are provided with a sliding door, e, whereby access is had to the interior thereof.

z' represents a detachable handcrank, which may be attached to the lower end of either shaft ff, for turning the same and moving the bands B B in one or the other direction. The shafts ff are arranged directly above the platforms of the car, so that the driver can conveniently reach the hand-crank. When ap proaching a cross-street, the driver gives the shaft a partial turn, so as to bring the proper name in line with the observation-openings d, and this operation is repeated until the end of the route is reached. Vhen the car returns, the crank is removed from the shaft and attached to the shaft at the opposite end of the car, and upon turning the crank in the proper direction the movement of the bands will be reversed and the names of the streets exposed in a reverse order.

The bands B B are provided with divisionmarks j, arranged between the nameson the roo bands, and the portions of the guides or casings C C outside of the ear and above the driver are provided with Windows or openings 7c, through Which the bands are visible, and whereby the driver can ascertain when the crank has been turned sufficiently, the Windows being so arranged with reference to the division-marksj that when a mark. stands in the center of the Windows the proper name will be directly opposite the openings d.

m represents springs or elastic arms secured to the inner surface of the casings E E', and bearing with their free ends upon the coils Wound upon the shafts ff', so as to prevent the coils from unwinding and keep the bands B B taut.

Itis obvious that a single band or apron may be employed on onel side of the car; but I prefer to use two, one on each side of the car, as this arrangement is much more convenient for passengers.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a car provided with an internal longitudinal band guide or Way having an observation-opening Within the car and extending through the end Walls of the oar, of vertical shafts arranged outside of the car-body above the platforms and provided with hand-cranks, a band or apron bearing the names of the crossstreets and attached with opposite ends to said vertical shafts, and casings surrounding said vertical shafts, and with which the ends of the band-guide are connected, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bands or aprons B B and the vertical shafts f f', arranged at opposite ends of the car outside of the carbody, and provided With hand-cranks, of the longitudinal band guides G C', extending through the end Walls of the ear and provided outside of the car-body With Windows or openings k, and observation-openings d, arranged in said bandguides Within the Carbody, substantiallyvas set forth.

Witness my hand this 15th day of October, 4 5

FRANK HICKS.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, CHESTER D. HoWn. 

